Ogunsanya, Ogbechie Advocate Resilience, Authenticity At Imperfectly Awesome Conversations 4.0

Former Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria and Airtel Africa, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, and Group Executive Director of Rain Oil Limited, Mrs. Godrey Ogbechie, have urged Nigerians to embrace resilience, authenticity and hard work despite life’s imperfections and setbacks.

They spoke on Sunday at the fourth edition of “Imperfectly Awesome Conversations” held at the Muson Centre, Lagos, where business leaders, professionals, students and entrepreneurs gathered under the theme, “Be Enough.”

Ogunsanya, who currently chairs the Airtel Africa Foundation, challenged conventional perceptions of strength, stressing that imperfection is a shared human reality.

“None of us arrived here perfectly put together,” he said. “We arrived looking renewed, reshaped. Some look bruised. There’s imperfection everywhere.”

Speaking on resilience, he described it not as “bouncing back” from adversity but “bouncing forward.”

“Resilience doesn’t shout. It whispers, ‘try again, try again,’” he said, adding that faith often provides the strength to persevere through difficult periods.

According to him, resilience does not eliminate struggle but empowers individuals to continue despite obstacles.

“It means you choose not to stop. Because when you stop, you drown,” he said.

Ogunsanya recounted a high-pressure experience involving a major presentation in Barcelona, Spain, where travel complications threatened his participation. He said the episode taught him that setbacks should be viewed as temporary disruptions rather than permanent failures.

“Resilience was not pushing at all. It was the need to stay steady. It meant reframing setbacks as data, not defeat,” he said.

Reflecting on his corporate journey, Ogunsanya disclosed that he nearly resigned despite becoming one of the few Black chief executives leading a Fortune 100 company’s African operations. “I nearly quit. But I stayed,” he said.

He also recalled the resistance encountered during the rollout of 4G technology in Africa, noting that persistence and adaptability were critical in overcoming scepticism. “Tenacity is what happens when you refine your approach instead of abandoning it,” he stated.

On leadership and personal values, Ogunsanya emphasised authenticity as essential for long-term success.

“To succeed in life, you must be an authentic person. You must be true to yourself,” he said.

Responding to questions during the interactive session, he dismissed the notion that entrepreneurship is inherently superior to corporate leadership, arguing that both career paths can lead to success depending on individual ambition and values.

“Success is not just in terms of the dollar or the naira. Be clear about how you measure success and be clear about who you are,” he said.

He further stressed the importance of mentorship in leadership, saying, “The true test of a leader is how many other leaders you have groomed.”

Ogbechie, in her remarks, spoke candidly about personal insecurities, responsibility and discipline.

She revealed that she still hopes to pursue a doctorate degree at the age of 60, inspired by her grandmother who returned to school in her seventies to learn how to read the Bible independently.

“My grandmother, who is one of my biggest inspirations, went back to school when she was over 70 years old,” she said.

Ogbechie also reflected on her upbringing in a family of five daughters and the responsibilities she assumed after the death of her father.

She criticised what she described as declining work ethics among younger generations, warning against overreliance on technology and shortcuts.

“It doesn’t matter how much AI and things become easy. We must not forget the principles of hard work and consistently showing up,” she said.

In a metaphorical charge to participants, she urged them to eliminate negative habits such as laziness and procrastination in order to achieve growth and success.

Ogbechie also encouraged individuals struggling with self-doubt to stop disqualifying themselves from opportunities because of perceived imperfections.

“I used to refuse speaking engagements because I felt I didn’t have a pleasant-sounding voice,” she said.

Convener of the event, Dr. Lola Bamigbaiye, said the platform was created to challenge unrealistic expectations of perfection and encourage people to embrace their humanity while continuing to grow.

“We’ve been campaigning that we’re enough,” she said. “Being enough is the new currency we need to start spending in today’s world.”

She urged participants to see failure as part of the learning process rather than a final destination.

“It’s okay to fall. It’s okay to fail. But failing is not the issue. It’s the ability to get up and learn from it,” Bamigbaiye said.

She also stressed the importance of persistence and patience in pursuing long-term goals, warning against the temptation of shortcuts.

By the close of the event, speakers and participants had collectively underscored the need for resilience, authenticity and perseverance in navigating personal and professional challenges.